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Bipolar Disorder : A Psychological Disorder

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Bipolar disorder is a psychological disorder in which a person alternates between being depressed to extremely happy and being cross or irritable. Bipolar disorder is also known manic-depressive illness. Bipolar disorder can cause shifts in energy, mood and activity level. This disorder can cause damage up to many things like relationships, jobs, school performance and even suicide. There are many treatments to bipolar disorder for those that have or are being affected. Bipolar Disorder Bipolar disorder is characterized by episodes of an elevated or agitated mood known as mania, usually alternating with episodes of depression (Myers, 2012). People who are maniac have a high energy level. Bipolar disorder affects at least 2.7% of …show more content…

They can go from happy to sad in minutes. Also their energy levels change. A person who is having mood changes may be experiencing a long period of being happy or depressed. Behavioral changes in an episode of mania is when the person is talking really fast, changes their thoughts, or becomes easily distracted. This happens when the person is in a long period of mania. Bipolar disorder can also make a person feel tired and sluggish, or even think about death. This happens when a person is in a depressive episode. (Bipolar Disorder, 2014). People with bipolar disorder usually abuse alcohol and substances. Bipolar disorder lasts forever. Episodes of mania and depression come and go. Treatments of Bipolar Disorder There has not been a cure to bipolar disorder, but there are treatments to help people gain control of themselves. Some treatments are pharmacological treatments, monotherapy psychotherapy and antidepressants (Colin, 2013). A doctor may have a person hospitalized if they appear to have a severe episode of depression and have suicidal thoughts. Many medications are used to treat someone with bipolar disorder. Lithium is a mood stabilizer used to prevent extreme highs and lows. Side effects of lithium include dry mouth digestive issues and thyroid and kidney problems. Success rates of lithium are 70 to 85% for the acute phase but response rates are 40 to 50% (Bipolar Disorder Statistics, 2014). Anticonvulsants are mood stabilizing meds that

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